


Happy Tessa

by Shatterpath



Series: Doggie Aspects [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-02-14
Updated: 2002-02-14
Packaged: 2017-11-05 00:14:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/399779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shatterpath/pseuds/Shatterpath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tessa is reunited with an old friend and her family of two suddenly becomes three.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Tessa

**Author's Note:**

> Aspects prompt #2- Happy
> 
> Tessa, upon receiving Calamity Jane. From Ariestess

++ Tessa ++

 

(2-14-02)

 

Oh, it is going to be a lovely day! The weather is clear, white clouds skipping across the vast dome of sky, the temperatures are to be moderate, and there is a whole suite of plans on the menu for the next eighteen hours or so.

 

It just doesn’t get any better than this.

 

Anastasia, my dearest love and Mistress, always does something special for us on Valentines Day. It is a ritual that we both treasure. It needn’t be anything fancy, though that has been done too, but always something thoughtful and romantic. My favorites have always been the picnics, and I secretly hope that there might be another in my future.

 

Little do I know…

 

A persistent racket outside has me floating down the stairs of the townhouse, startled to hear a familiar voice outside.

 

“C’mon Orchid!” Dace laughs with other voices, and I can make out movement beyond the etched and frosted glass panels. “Open the door!”

 

Timidly, I do as ordered, even as Anastasia calls out, “goodness! What is that racket?”

 

It is pandemonium in the yard. Dace sits sideways in the front seat of the silver convertible Lexus that Olivia bought from me just a few days ago, while the new owner leans against the hood beside her. Sara stands nearby, looking uncertain whether or not she should join in…

 

Where the Willows girls are wrestling and playing with a massive German Shepherd on Anastasia’s lawn.

 

Huh?

 

Painstaking, the chuckling Dace is helped to her feet by Olivia, and limps over to where I’m frozen in the doorway. “Hey, good-lookin’,” she teases and I force my gaze to hers, still cringing at the bloodied whites of her eyes. “A nice woman in Colorado asked a favor of us.”

 

“A favor?” I parrot uncertainly.

 

“You liked that pretty girl when you met back at Karen’s wedding. She needs a good home.”

 

The memories flood back. Karen so mad at me for upsetting Darya, Art soothing my nerves by letting me play with the startled puppy who thought she had hurt her tail. The warm, trusting weight of the fat little baby asleep in my lap, paws twitching while she dreamed.

 

“That… that’s Jane?”

 

“Calamity, heel,” Dace barks, and instantly, the dog trots to her side and sits, picture-perfect, beside the boots, tongue lolling. I can’t match my memories of a roly-poly ball of fluff with this leggy adolescent. Her face has grown elongated like her parents, and great white teeth bracket the lolling red tongue. Her fur is thick and beautifully patterned more like her mother, the creamy, fluffy belly, the brown, wiry cape.

 

Curious about and drawn to the dog, I reach for her, but hesitate. Then, I remember to let her smell my offered palm, giggling softly at the tickle of her breath and whiskers. At the sound, the stiff tail starts to twitch, and I’m ever so glad that maybe, just maybe, she still likes me.

 

As I kneel, Anastasia’s voice comes from behind me. “Well, I see that our plans for the day have changed,” she says dryly, hints of amusement and mild annoyance threaded through the rich tones. Uncharacteristically, I ignore her, as Calamity Jane wiggles eagerly closer, whining in excitement.

 

Before I know it, the gangly dog has knocked me onto my ass, reminding me of the welts and bruises there, and Calamity is slobbering on me while I pet her fur and giggle uncontrollably. “Jeez, My Lady,” Dace laments in a sheepish voice that amuses me. “I’m really sorry to ruin your plans. Just wanted to make sure superdog here bonded to the right person.”

 

“Well, you certainly managed all of that handily,” Anastasia relents, her tone softening as I’m certain that she can see that I am enamored with the dog. There is no dignity in my new friend, as she wiggles and slobbers all over me, her antics almost painful at times.

 

“Pretty girl,” I croon, finally capturing the regal head in my hands to calm her, and she squirms and whines. “I’m so very glad to see you.”

 

“And now you’ve got another sub in the house,” Dace chuckles and I look up to see Anastasia’s wry scowl, with a smile dancing in the corners.

 

“I will smack you later for that,” she promises and I duck my head away to hide my smile.

 

Until Dace and the whirlwind of energy that always seems to follow her, I had not realized just isolated Anastasia and I truly were. As though sensing my thoughts, Lindsey comes over and grins widely. “Hello, Tessa.”

 

“Hello, Lindsey. It’s good to have you home.”

 

“Yeah,” she turns shy for a moment, glancing up at Dace. The tall woman looks twitterpated with the child, reaching out to ruffle her fine blonde hair. The bright blue eyes return to me, and I grin from my undignified position half under Calamity. “Art taught us some of the signals that Calamity knows.”

 

“Really?” Now I’m intrigued and Lindsey grabs my hand to drag me out onto the lawn where her mother languishes lazily in the winter sunshine.

 

“Too damn cold in Colorado,” Catherine explains simply, ignoring Lindsey’s scowl.

 

“Mom, if you’re not gonna let me say those words, then you don’t use them either!”

 

Prancing, Calamity bumps against my legs and I’m surprised by her strength. Amused by the antics of mother and daughter, I don’t even see the signal that abruptly has the gangly pup seated at my side with perfect obedience.

 

With my good, casual clothes dirty and disheveled, my careful makeup ruined and the neighbors curious, my day will be consumed with this new addition to the strange and wonderful family I have found myself a part of.

 

It’s the nicest Valentines Gift that I have received…

 

Maybe in forever.


End file.
